Help needed A.S.A.P.

[Esquared]

First I'd like to say hello to all of you I'm new here, my name is Evan. I stumbled upon the forum because I have a big problem. I've read everything stating to look at my manual for more detailed info, I would if I could. I have a 81 xs1100 midnight that has always ran perfect until 2 days ago. I left Saturday morning for vacation 100 miles from home my bike ran perfect as normal with a few stops. I parked it then attempted to move it and she won't start. I thought it was no big deal, after trying with starting fluid and being confused I checked the spark and nothing. I opened the kill switch on the bars and there is no corrosion. I checked the coil and there is power to them. I find it very hard to believe both went bad at the same time with no warning. I do have a voltmeter but I'm nervous that I won't be able to fix it in time to leave Saturday morning please help.

[dpotter58]

First I'd like to say hello to all of you I'm new here, my name is Evan. I stumbled upon the forum because I have a big problem. I've read everything stating to look at my manual for more detailed info, I would if I could. I have a 81 xs1100 midnight that has always ran perfect until 2 days ago. I left Saturday morning for vacation 100 miles from home my bike ran perfect as normal with a few stops. I parked it then attempted to move it and she won't start. I thought it was no big deal, after trying with starting fluid and being confused I checked the spark and nothing. I opened the kill switch on the bars and there is no corrosion. I checked the coil and there is power to them. I find it very hard to believe both went bad at the same time with no warning. I do have a voltmeter but I'm nervous that I won't be able to fix it in time to leave Saturday morning please help.

Where are you? How is the bike turning over? Normally? Slowly? Checked your ignition fuse? Are you getting fuel? Bad vacuum not opening the petcocks? Tried them on prime? I see you tried starting fluid and said no spark but it can be hard to see sometimes

[Esquared]

I'm in the Pocono Mountains. Fuses are good, fuel is moving, bike turns over at normal pace and a little slower when choke is out.

[lakecountrydave]

I cannot help you diagnose your problem, but one of our members here (CatatonicBug) has the manuals posted on his website.

http://www.ringler.us/family/mybike.html

Thanks CatatonicBug

[soccer4m]

pull a plug

Pull a plug out and keep it hooked up to the wire, and ground it to the engine case,,,,crank the engine over and look for a small blue spark in the plug.....if there is a spark,,then squirt a llttle gas in the hole, reinstall the plug and crank over. If it fires for a second then you have a fuel problem,,,try putting the gas petcock on prime, check your gas level, hope its not dry and crank the engine. Repeat in all four plugs if you want to check spark and fuel delivery....good luck, Mike in S.Diego

[MindWebs]

If you are still running the factory fuse block that could be an issue.

the metal that holds the fuses "let go" over time and can kill your ignition circuit and other things.

take a short piece of wire and touch the terminal on one side of the fuse to the terminal on the other side.

do this and then try to start the bike.

do each fuse one at a time.

if this works, then stop at the nearest radio shack and get a better fuse block, then wire it in one curcuit at a time.

if this doesn't fix anything then open up the kill switch and short the terminals on that.. then try to start.

is it shorted to run or shorted to kill...????
hmm, someone else will have to catch that one.

or a volt meter set to ohm load will tell you if the switch works or not.

sorry, that's the 2 tricks i know without going through the whole bike.

Good luck!!

[Esquared]

I've checked every fuse and I have continuity and at the kill.

[natemoen]

I've checked every fuse and I have continuity and at the kill.

Dont just check the fuse itself. check from before the brass clips through the fuse. The brass clips weaken and eventually stop making adequate contact and usually break.

[79XS11F]

OK, so power to both coils but no spark across all 4 plugs. I also doubt that both sides of both coils could go at the same time unless they were exposed to a current spike that can happen if the voltage regutator is faulty. So check the voltage regulator if you can and also check the grounding of the engine. This sounds like a grounding issue because the spark is created by the coils shorting their current to ground across the plugs gap. No ground = no spark. Try laying a plug in a fashion so it is in direct contact with the frame and see what you get.
Rob

[newc4]

Though unlikely, it could be your pick up coil wires. Pull the 4 lead connector on the TCI and check the pairs (I think they were upper and lower but the manual will specify by wire) for continuity: 720ohms + or - 20 % I think.

[TopCatGr58]

Sudden Death!?

Hey Esquared,

The emergency tip over switch can become faulty and prevent ignition. It's under the gas tank near the front of the frame above the spark plug coils, says UP on it, can be unplugged to bypass!

Remember folks, the 81LH was very close to the XJ, I just checked the microfiche, it doesn't use the sidestand interlock, but it does use the clutch lever as a starting safety switch.

Have you checked your voltage across the battery while trying to start? It may spin the engine but may be dropping below 10.5 volts which is needed for the TCI to work and provide the firing signals for the coils. Check your ground wires for the battery as well as the engine to frame at the starter case rear of engine...can corrode and reduce ground considerably!

The 81's don't have a sliding timing plate assembly persae`, no cent. adv. mechanism, just vac. adv. so the pu coils assembly moves very little compared to the earlier models where they flex a lot more and can fail, but doubt simultaneously for both sides!!!!

Hate to beat a dead horse, but did you remove the fuses, and test with ohmeter as well as try a gentle twist to see if the fuse will break apart??

Good luck.
T.C.

[Esquared]

Thank all of you for the help. I was able to test the voltage regulator and I'm sure thats where my problem is. AAA is coming to get it and take it home the local parts place can't get the part until 3 days after I leave.

[DiverRay]

I would get a regulator from Geezer. They work at a lower RPM than stock, and come with a lifetime warranty.

[skids]

If it isnt cranking pretty quickly it could be the key switch or the battery or its cables. Do check the kill switch and switch it back and forth to try and clean the contact. There is also an ignition fuse that may have bad contact. You might also try switching over to prime to make sure the carbs are full as a hot engine can sometimes evaporate gas from the bowls (I have one bike like that).

[TopCatGr58]

Thank all of you for the help. I was able to test the voltage regulator and I'm sure thats where my problem is. AAA is coming to get it and take it home the local parts place can't get the part until 3 days after I leave.

Hey there again,

Hopefully it's home safe and sound by now?!

The R/R itself would Not keep the bike from starting. It would/could cause the battery to get weak to the point of low voltages....and THAT would keep it from starting.

Please keep this thread in a search/favorites and reply when you finally do get it figured out. We like to hear good results and also what the real problem ends up being.....that way we know who wins the pool!

T.C.